Annie Warbucks 1993

The genre of musical theatre has some truly legendary songs for children. From young Cosette and Gavroche in Les Miserables to kid-heavy shows like Billy Elliot and Oliver to the title roles in Annie and Matilda, composers don’t shy away from giving some of their best work to pint-sized performers.

If you’re a mezzo, it can feel overwhelming to find material you love that hasn’t already been sung to death. There’s so much great audition material for mezzos, and much of it is already in everyone’s audition book. Find great audition songs for mezzo-sopranos here!

On June 7, 2018, Charles Strouse, the Tony Award-winning composer of Annie, Bye Bye and Applause, and some of the most popular music from the last 60 years of Broadway, film and television, turns 90. To mark the occasion, a year-long celebration of events, including tributes, concerts, revivals and international productions, will take place across the United States and around the world.

What do Jay-Z, Kobe Bryant, Archie Bunker, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ed Koch, Bart Simpson, Bruce Campbell, Bonnie and Clyde, and J-Lo have in common?  The answer: Charles Strouse (and his hit songs)!

How many of these great songs do you know from underappreciated musicals?